Stone-gathering machine.



M@ www E. C. HELMKE.

Patentd May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I l I l E. C. HELMKE.

STONE G'ATHERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1914* 1,1 39,032. Patented May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 7 WTNESSES Allorneyg EDWARD C. HELMKE, 0F MACFARLAND, WISCONSIN.

STONE-GATHERING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed May 2, 1914. Serial No. 835,802.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it' known that I, EDWARD C. HELMKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macfarland, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stone- Gathering Machines; and I do hereby declara the following to be a full, clear, and exa description of the inventiomsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

An object of this inventiony is the provision of a machine to traverse fields or 'roadways to gather loose stones .therefrom and depositthe same in a suitablevehicle or receptacle.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a machine of this character having means for crushing clo`ds of earth picked up thereby. j

Other objects and advantages 'will be hereinafter more specically' set forth, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, p

Figure 1, represents a side elevation of a plan view ofthe rake mechanism, and, Fig.

3, is an enlarged detail elevational view of one of my rake teeth. n

Referring to the drawing in detail wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views, the

numeral 1 indicate the'side rails of the ve-v hlcle .frame which are secured 1n spaced relation and receive ladjacent the center thereof the axle 2 carrying suitable Awheels j 3 and converge at their forward ends and are connected with a suitabletongue 4 adapted to be connected with a suitable vehicle. A pair of supporting beams 5 are secured tothe side rails 1 adjacent the axle 2 and extend from a point forwardly and tions of the endless .conveyer 10 between the shafts 7 and 8, for operating said conveyer.` The upper portion of the conveyer 10 travels between and 1s supported by guide strips 12 carried by the side boards 13 arranged on neet with horizontal beams 152t also pivotally connected with the axle 2. A shaft 16 extending transversely of the machine and through the arms 14 and beams 15 rotatably supports a pair of spaced sprocket wheels or pulleys 17. The lower'ends of the beams 15 are connected'by a shaft 18 carrying a pair of spaced sprocket wheels or pulleys 19 of considerably greater diameter' than the wheels 17, the said wheels 19 being seated in the bifurcated ends of the beams 15 and being adapted to be driven from the axle 2 by a pair. of gears 20 and a chain or belt 21. A conveyer 22 is adapted to travel over the pairs of wheels or pulleys 17 and 19 and carries a plurality of pivoted'rake-bars 23 provided with angular teeth 231 rigidly con*- nected thereto and adapted to swing with said rake-bars about the pivot 24. The two outermost teeth of each rake-bar are extended a distance past their connecting point.

and' are each provided with a rotatable roller 25 adapted to engage a guide rod-26 having a curved lower end 27 and adapted toy maintainvrake-bars23 in proper operative position. The rear ends of the bars 15 are adjustably supported by straps 28 having a plurality of vertically alined openings therein .adapted to receive a bolt or the like 29 for` securing the bars 15 in adjusted .shaft 8 to the lower ends of the beams 5 and' rotatably supportat their lower end a roller Isa having a plurality of blades 31 adapted to coperate with the teeth 23*1 after the teeth have lifted the stones from the ground to more efficiently direct and deposit the stones upon the receiving end of the endless conveyer 10. Rods32 are connected adjacent the lower ends of the arms 30 and areslidably mounted through suitable brackets 33, and springs 34 are mounted on said rod on veach side of said brackets 33 for resiliently supporting the arms 30 in operative position.

-I appended claims.

sprocket wheels 1l, moves the upper surfaceof the endless conveyorlO in an upward and forward direction. The under surface of the conveyer 22, carrying the pivoted rake? bars 23, is moved in anI upward and forward/ direction by the sprocket wheels 19, rotated in a rearward direction bythe belt or chain 21 connected with the sprocket wheels 20 driven by the axle 2. The teeth 23@L assume approximately a vertical position on their downward movement vtoward the ground, but prior-to reaching the ground, the rollers 25 of the teeth contact with the curved'end 27 of the guide rods 26 whereupon the teeth 23a begin to assume a horizontal position. The further movement of the teeth' will gather all stones in the path of the device, the teeth at this point assuming approxi mately a horizontal position, whereby the stones are gathered and carried upwardly from the ground by the teeth toward the receiving end of the conveyer 10. Just prior, however, to reaching the end of the conveyer 10 the blades 31 of the roller contact with the outer surfaces of the stones in the adjacent teeth and coperate with the teeth for efliciently directing'and depositing the stones upon the receiving end of the conveyer 10. The ends of the teeth afterward engaging the lower portion of the conveyer 10 for a distance, carry the stones in the direction of the delivering end of the conveyer l0 where the stones are discharged into a wagon or other suitable receptacle for receiving the stones. Y

While in the foregoing I have illustrated in the drawings, and' described in the specication such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my stone-gatherer and elodcrusher I desire Yto'emphasize the fact that I may make such alterations in the structure above set forth in later adaptations of my device as shall be limited by a justinterpretation of this invention as defined by the What I claim as new:

1. A stone gathering machine comprising a Ywheeled frame, an endless conveyer extending forwardly and upwardly from said frame, an Aendless belt adapted to travel rearwardly of said conveyer, rakes on said belt, and resiliently mounted means adapted to coperate with said rakes to deposit stones on said'endless conveyer.

/af wheel mounted frame, an en extending upwardly and forwardly thereineens.

its front end to the axis of said wheels, 70

means for adjustably supporting the rear end of said frame, an endless belt adapted to travel in said .frame in proximity to said endless conveyer, rake bars carried by said belt, and means adapted to coperate with 75 said rakes to deposit stones on said endless conveyer. l 3. A stone gathering machine comprising less conveyer from, a frame pivoted at its forward emite/ the axis of the'wheels of said frame,-meii1s adjustably supporting the rear end of said frame, belts adapted to travel in said frameh/ rales on said belt, and a roller having longil g5 tudinal blades adapted' to coperate with said rales to deposit -stones upon said endless conveyer.

4;. A stone gathering machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, an endless conveyer thereon extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, a frame pivotally spported at its front end to the axle of said wheels, means for adjustably supporting the rear end of said frame, an endless belt adapted to travel in said frame in proximity to said endless conveyer, rake-bars carried by said belt, teeth attached to said rake-bars, and means adapted to coperate with said toothed ralre-bars to deposit stones on said endless conveyer.

5. A stone gathering machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, an endless conveyer thereon extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, a frame pivotally supported at its front end to' thel axle of said wheels, means for adjustably supporting the rear end of said frame, an endless belt adapted to travel in said frame in proximity to said.

endless conveyer, rake-bars pivotally carried by said belt, teeth attached to said rake-bars, and means adapted to coperate with said toothed rake-bars to deposit stones on said endless conveyer.

G. `[t stone gathering machine comprising a wheel mounted fraine,'an endless conveyer thereon extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom, `a frame pivotally supported at its end to the axle of said wheels,

means for adjustably supporting the rear end of said frame, an endless belt adapted to travel in said frame in proximityto said endlessconveyer, rake bars pivoted to said belt, teeth formed in said rake bars, rollers mounted on outside teeth of said rake bars,

and means cooperating with said rakes for directing and depositing stones upon the receiving end of said endless conveyer.

7. A. stone gathering machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, an endless conveyer .thereon extending upwardly and forwardly meansvcoperating with said rake-teeth for therefrom, a frame pivotally "supported 'at depositing stones on said endless conveyer.

its front end Ato the axis of said wheels, In testimony whereof I have signed my means for adjustabliy supporting the rear name to this specification in the presence of 5. end-of aid frane, an endless belt adapteg two `subscribing witnesses.;

tol trave in sai ra"me in proximity to sai e A endless conveyer, 'rake bars pivoted to said EDWARD C' HELMKE' belt, teeth formed in said rake bars, rollers e Witnesses: mounted on outside teeth of said rake-bars, MAGNUS MIGKELSON.

10 lguide-rods',coacting with said rollers, and SARAH JozzmsoN,l 

